Chapter 2
The Tunnel in the Glass
Vels walked along the walkway, exploring the naval yard. The Colonel and the rest of the team were setting up surveillance equipment in a room overlooking the sea. He didn't want to be dragged into taking some officer with his head lodged up a certain region to a rebel controlled planet so they could find some...thing that was on the planet. They spent hours flying and monitoring their radios to find a good spot to land that wouldn't give away their presence to the rebels. He was glad that this spot just happened to be a good spot and that it was close to their apparent destination. There was no hint of rebels and it was a dead zone for communications. He walked into a room, discovered a desk and a chair, and sat down. He relaxed and decided to just wait for orders, when he noticed something odd about the desk. There were areas where there was no dust and areas where there was. Vels got up and went back to the team, who were already packing up.
"Ah, welcome back Captain, and just in time too." The Colonel smiled his arrogant smile, "it is time for us to go, and you will see why we are here." Vels helped pack up then got on his speeder when he suddenly felt something. He felt like something was nearing its end and with it came nostalgia. He didn't know why, but as he followed the Colonel and the soldiers towards the mysterious location he also had another feeling. He had the feeling that they were being followed.
Jen had waited in the office that used to previously belong to whoever owned the factory for the stormtroopers to leave. He figured the office belonged to the owner of the naval yard mainly because of its size, the view it had on the naval yard, and the words 'Head of Herthym Naval Constructions' in big, bold, gold letters on the desk behind him. He was frustrated and curious, for his radio went dead and apparently was dead for the last hour or so. This had frustrated him, however, what made him curious was the fact that he just charged it a couple hours ago. Then he noticed that the Imperials had sped off in the general direction of nowhere, not even bothering to do a full sweep of the building. Then he settled on a decision which, when he would look back on it and think some more, was very stupid and not thought out at all. He ran to his speeder, which had some trouble with the terrain due to it being made for more dry planets, and tried to catch up to the Imperials.
As a scout trooper, Dernom Hemston has seen a lot of things while on duty. He has been on the fiery, manufacturing planet of Sullust to the frozen wastelands of Hoth. He, as an exceptional survivalist, was also one of the very few scout troopers that had lived for longer than a year while on duty. He was assigned to an exploratory mission to Bestine IV, a mission that he believed was pointless. But, as a good soldier, he went. Now, as he drives above the water, he starts to see a light in the distance, as if a small sun was rising. He was curious why this crew was assembled the way it was. Colonel Lembert was a highly respected officer, and Captain Vels and his men were a highly respected squad, known to do whatever they can to complete their missions. Then there was the pilot, Aden Yurem, who was an expert combat pilot that had a number of stories about him and his adventures behind enemy lines when he would occasionally get shot down. The light had brightened to the point where it seemed like it was day. Dernom looked at the water and noticed that the water had become still. He started to get the cold feeling of fear, he wanted to go back. Then he saw the source of the light. There was a hole, and the light burst out of it and flooded the seas and the sky. The water poured into it, creating a whirlpool that was also strangely contained. The hole seemed to draw them in, like a black hole. Dernom realized that he couldn't turn away and was being sucked in. He desperately tried to turn away, but it did nothing. Dernom closed his eyes and tightly gripped the handlebars as he fell into the hole with the others.